Love Is All
Cowboy Junkies Lyrics

The lyrics to Cowboy Junkies' song "To Love Is To Bury" tell a story of a love that was once pure but ultimately fell apart due to underlying demons. The singer of the song describes burying her lover by the river, a place he loved to be, and returns there every night to weep. She recalls their wedding by the same river beneath a willow tree, with God and friends as witnesses. The couple seemed to have found their place in the world - she saw him as the Earth to her roots, and she was the Sky to his free spirit. However, a terrible fight broke them apart, and he ultimately lost his life. Despite the tragedy, the singer finds solace in being one with the Earth and Sky by the river where her lover is buried.

The lyrics are incredibly poetic, with the use of nature and religion as recurring motifs. It seems as though the river, willow tree, and sky represent a sort of heaven in the singer's mind. The importance of the natural world to both the singer and her lover is evident, with references to Earth and Sky being common throughout the song. The use of these natural elements helps to convey the feeling that the couple's love was pure and honest, truly grounded in something deeper than just physical attraction. However, the fall from grace and the loss of life are also central themes, reminding listeners that even the strongest relationships can crumble under the pressures of anxiety, depression, and other internal struggles.